The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association today presented its listing of U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes Races for 2018, the results of its annual grading session conducted November 28 and 29 in Lexington.

The Committee reviewed 806 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 455 of them, nine fewer than were graded in 2017, and Listed status to 177 races. Seven Graded races were upgraded; five new Grade III races were named; 18 new Listed races were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type status. Sixteen races which carried Graded or Listed status in 2017 are no longer eligible for grading.

For 2018 the Committee has amended its eligibility requirements to make races having the non-winners of a sweepstakes condition, and meeting all other eligibility requirements, eligible for Listed status. Any non-winners of a sweepstakes race upgraded to Listed status will be designated as Listed – Restricted and carry an LR designation in sales catalogues produced by members of the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers.

Well, no wonder the Delaware Hcp. was downgraded! The winners have been such a bunch of losers. Seriously, of all the graded handicap stakes for top middle distance mares and fillies, they chose to downgrade this race? This move is a blow for the race, IMHO. One of the reasons it drew so many good distaffers was the combo of high purse and G1 status. Take away the G1 and I wouldn't be surprised to see some owners choose to run their F&Ms elsewhere.Poor Delaware. I don't think the track deserved this diss.

Gradings have a lot to do with the horses behind the winners, and while the Delaware Handicap usually featured one top horse, the rest of the fields are frequently very weak, at least for a Grade 1. I would assume that was the reason for the downgrade.

Let's face it, that division has not been able to sustain major races, and more than a few once "major" races in it have fallen by the wayside over the last decade or so.

BaroqueAgain1 wrote:Well, no wonder the Delaware Hcp. was downgraded! The winners have been such a bunch of losers. Seriously, of all the graded handicap stakes for top middle distance mares and fillies, they chose to downgrade this race? This move is a blow for the race, IMHO. One of the reasons it drew so many good distaffers was the combo of high purse and G1 status. Take away the G1 and I wouldn't be surprised to see some owners choose to run their F&Ms elsewhere.Poor Delaware. I don't think the track deserved this diss.

I don't know about you, but outside the winner I can't remember a single horse that ran in it. The race for the past few years has been pretty bad

"Life's no piece of cake, mind you, but the recipe's my own to fool with."

thinair wrote:Gradings have a lot to do with the horses behind the winners, and while the Delaware Handicap usually featured one top horse, the rest of the fields are frequently very weak, at least for a Grade 1. I would assume that was the reason for the downgrade.

Let's face it, that division has not been able to sustain major races, and more than a few once "major" races in it have fallen by the wayside over the last decade or so.

thinair wrote:Gradings have a lot to do with the horses behind the winners, and while the Delaware Handicap usually featured one top horse, the rest of the fields are frequently very weak, at least for a Grade 1. I would assume that was the reason for the downgrade.

Let's face it, that division has not been able to sustain major races, and more than a few once "major" races in it have fallen by the wayside over the last decade or so.

thinair wrote:Gradings have a lot to do with the horses behind the winners, and while the Delaware Handicap usually featured one top horse, the rest of the fields are frequently very weak, at least for a Grade 1. I would assume that was the reason for the downgrade.

Let's face it, that division has not been able to sustain major races, and more than a few once "major" races in it have fallen by the wayside over the last decade or so.

Anyone care to post the winners, seconds and thirds from one or two of the F&M stakes that have remained Grade 1 over the past five years? Not counting the BC Distaff, of course. Do those races do any better in avoiding the big-star-vs.-a-bunch-of-nobodies malady that apparently has done in the Delaware Handicap?

WaquoitNBroadBrush wrote:Anyone care to post the winners, seconds and thirds from one or two of the F&M stakes that have remained Grade 1 over the past five years? Not counting the BC Distaff, of course. Do those races do any better in avoiding the big-star-vs.-a-bunch-of-nobodies malady that apparently has done in the Delaware Handicap?